By VOA

12 September, 2013

From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.

The South African Department of Labor reported last month that the nation has too few jobs for unskilled labourers. The department also said there are not enough workers for highly skilled positions.

The sharp differences between jobs and skills were apparent recently when officials advertised a job opening in the government. The position was that of auditor-general or chief financial supervisor.

With a 26 percent unemployment rate nationwide, there was no shortage of interest in the job. 90 people asked to be considered. But officials said many of them lack the necessary skills of education. The auditor-general is responsible for supervising and independently examining South Africa's finances.

The advertisement said, the position required the person to be a trained accountant. It said candidates had to have at least a Master's degree and years of experience. Yet among the job hopefuls were laborers, a security guard, a secretary and some whose highest education level was high school.

The Labor Department report blamed the nation's poor education system. But for unskilled workers, the story is very different.

Restaurant industry official TJ Van der Walt says the business he works with get a huge number of applications for every job.

"We deal in an industry where there's no real skill needed, so we get literally thousands of applicants for the positions that we get."

Mr Van der Walt notes that good workers are hard to find. He says he spends a lot of time studying the job qualifications of people who don't have the require skills. In his words, people just want jobs.

Sejamothopo Motau is a member of South Africa's Parliament. He says the job market is difficult, and both skilled and unskilled workers are feeling the pain. He says education has been a major problem in South Africa's development. He notes that many Blacks received a poor education under white-minority rule. Apartheid officially ended in 1994.

He says many people are university graduates, still they can't get jobs where there is a need for skilled workers. This is because the education these graduates have is not enough to place them in jobs with high skill requirements.

"So what it tells us is -- and I think everybody in this country now accepts that -- is that there's a mismatch between our education system and the products of that system, and the needs, the economic needs, of the country."

Mr Motau's party estimates that 4 million young South Africans are unemployed.

And that's the Economics Report from VOA Learning English. I'm Mario Ritter.

From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。

The South African Department of Labor reported last month that the nation has too few jobs for unskilled labourers. The department also said there are not enough workers for highly skilled positions.

南非劳工部上个月报告称，该国为非熟练工人提供的岗位太少。该部门还表示，高技能职位也缺少足够的员工。

The sharp differences between jobs and skills were apparent recently when officials advertised a job opening in the government. The position was that of auditor-general or chief financial supervisor.

就业和技能之间的尖锐分歧在近期有关官员为一个政府职位空缺打招聘广告时非常明显。该职位是审计长，或称为财务总监。

With a 26 percent unemployment rate nationwide, there was no shortage of interest in the job. 90 people asked to be considered. But officials said many of them lack the necessary skills of education. The auditor-general is responsible for supervising and independently examining South Africa's finances.

在南非全国范围26%失业率的情况下，人们对该职位的兴趣不小。有90人申请该职位。但有关官员表示，他们中的许多人缺乏必要的教育技能。审计长要负责监管和独立审查南非的财政。

The advertisement said, the position required the person to be a trained accountant. It said candidates had to have at least a Master's degree and years of experience. Yet among the job hopefuls were laborers, a security guard, a secretary and some whose highest education level was high school.

该招聘广告称，该职位要求应聘者为训练有素的会计，候选人必须至少拥有硕士学位且具有多年工作经验。然而在求职者中有工人，一名保安，一位秘书，以及一些最高学历为高中的人。

The Labor Department report blamed the nation's poor education system. But for unskilled workers, the story is very different.

南非劳工部报告将其归咎于该国落后的教育体系。但对非熟练工人来说情况又明显不同。

Restaurant industry official TJ Van der Walt says the business he works with get a huge number of applications for every job.

餐饮业员工范德沃尔特(TJ Van der Walt)表示，他就职的公司的每个职位都收到了大量申请。

"We deal in an industry where there's no real skill needed, so we get literally thousands of applicants for the positions that we get."

他说，“我们这个行业不需要什么实际技能，所以我们招聘的职位收到了数千份申请。

Mr Van der Walt notes that good workers are hard to find. He says he spends a lot of time studying the job qualifications of people who don't have the require skills. In his words, people just want jobs.

范德沃尔特指出好员工很难招。他说，他花了大量时间研究不具备所需技能的人们的工作资历。用他的话来说，人们只是希望得到工作。

Sejamothopo Motau is a member of South Africa's Parliament. He says the job market is difficult, and both skilled and unskilled workers are feeling the pain. He says education has been a major problem in South Africa's development. He notes that many Blacks received a poor education under white-minority rule. Apartheid officially ended in 1994.

莫泰(Sejamothopo Motau)是南非议会的议员。他说，就业市场很艰难，无论熟练工人还是非熟练工人都感同身受。他说，教育一直是南非发展的一个主要问题。他指出，在少数派白人统治下，许多黑人所受的教育非常差。南非的种族隔离于1994年正式结束。

He says many people are university graduates, still they can't get jobs where there is a need for skilled workers. This is because the education these graduates have is not enough to place them in jobs with high skill requirements.

他说，很多人是大学毕业生，然而他们还是无法在需要熟练工人的地方找到工作。这是因为这些毕业生受到的教育不足以胜任高技能要求的工作。

"So what it tells us is -- and I think everybody in this country now accepts that -- is that there's a mismatch between our education system and the products of that system, and the needs, the economic needs, of the country."

他说，“它告诉我们的是，我们的教育体系及其产品和我国经济需求之间存在失衡。我认为南非大部分人现在都认同这点。”

Mr Motau's party estimates that 4 million young South Africans are unemployed.

莫泰先生所在的党估计有400万南非年轻人失业。